Texas—New Boston A Texas woman was convicted of capital murder Monday for killing a pregnant woman to steal her baby.
A northeast Texas jury found Taylor Rene Parker, age 29, guilty of killing Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock, age 21, and abducting her newborn daughter, who later died.
After three weeks of horrific testimony, a jury of six men and six women was convicted.
Parker’s lawyers said that the baby was never alive and tried to get rid of an accusation of abduction, which would have changed the charge from capital murder to murder.
“That’s why in opening statements, we spent so much time on definitions. You can’t kidnap a person who has not been born alive,” said Jeff Harrelson in his final argument to the jury.
However, multiple medical specialists said the infant had a heartbeat at birth, according to prosecutors. They also described Parker’s actions before Simmons’ death. Hancock’s
“We have systematically set out what she (Parker) did, why, all the moving components, and all the collateral damage. “Taylor Parker stated it wasn’t,” said prosecutor Kelley Crisp.
Another prosecutor, Lauren Richards, talked about Parker’s many disguises, like how she pretended to be pregnant before the murder.
“In the previous two weeks, the evidence has never been clearer,” Assistant District Attorney Lauren Richards told the jury. “She’s a liar, a manipulator, and she’ll be held accountable.”
She reminded the jury how Reagan was beaten in the head five times before succumbing to her death.
Richards called Reagan’s anguish “indescribable” as Taylor cut her abdomen from hip to hip. “When Taylor had the baby, and Reagan was still alive, that’s when Taylor started slashing and cutting. She can’t leave her alive. It was no quick death. She just kept cutting her. I guess Reagan would not die fast enough for Taylor to get out of there and get on with her plans. ”
The punishment phase started on Oct. 12
Parker was transferred to a hospital in Idabel, Oklahoma, where the infant died, the station stated.